Little Family
by kittycat69
Summary: Oneshot. Cages lined the walls either side of the door. All of them held little mewing kittens. Michael walked over to see which kitten could have grabbed Christine's attention so fully...And came face to face with the ugliest kitten he had ever seen. "Isn't he adorable" she cooed at the cat. "No," he answered bluntly. MichaelxChristine. Future-centric.


**Little Family**

With a heavy sigh, Michael climbed out of his car. He closed the car door and looked up at the building looming before him. It was a fairly large structure; probably three stories high and built from bricks. It was painted a pale yellow color. And spread over its glass double doors in big plastic lettering were the words 'Animal Shelter'.

Michael made a face at the sign, and then turned his attention to the person exiting the passenger side of his car.

"Baby, are you _sure_ this is what you want for your birthday?" he asked his companion as she shut her door and swung her purse over her shoulder.

"Yes, Mikey," Christine answered in tone that suggested she had been asked this a few times before, "For the last time, I am _very_ sure."

Michael gave a fake-pout, which caused Christine to fake-pout in return.

"Come on, you promised you'd get me one for my birthday," Christine rolled her eyes as she continued, "And besides, I thought you liked cats! It was _your_ idea to get one!"

Michael just grumbled under his breath in response to this statement, but didn't argue further. Christine took his hand and led him inside the shelter. The pair made their way through the building's small lobby and up to its front desk, behind which sat a young woman with long, curly red hair and black-rimmed glasses. She was, at the moment, sitting with her nose pressed into a thick book.

Michael cleared his throat to get her attention.

"Oh, uh, hello," the girl jumped slightly and lowered her book, "Can I help you?"

"Yeah, we're looking for a cat," Michael motioned to Christine with his head, "It's for her birthday."

"Oh, Happy Birthday!" the girl smiled at Christine. She opened a drawer and started to rummage about her desk. She found a nametag and pinned it to her chest. It read 'Caitlin' in big block letters. Caitlin gave the pair standing in front of her desk another quick smile, then turned to look through a half open door behind her.

"Will!" she shouted in the direction of a hallway, "I'm taking these people back to look at cats. Come watch the desk!"

A responding call of "Got it!" was heard form somewhere down the hallway.

Caitlin stood up, "Um, okay," she continued as she turned back to Michael and Christine, "Let's go!"

Christine grinned happily and once again took hold of Michael's hand to lead him along. Caitlin led the way away from the lobby and towards a door off to the side of the room. With a happy smile, Caitlin pulled the door open so the pair could walk through.

Behind the door stretched a hallway, which went straight through to the back of the building, and was lined on both sides with doors.

"So," Caitlin said as she began leading the couple down the hall, "Is this your first time looking for an animal?"

Michael nodded as Christine answered, "We moved in together six months ago, and figured it was time to add an animal to the house."

"Congratulations! An animal is a great addition to a new family!" Caitlin smiled at the couple, "What are you looking for today, an adult cat or a kitten?"

"I hadn't really thought about it," Christine sheepishly admitted, "Can we see the kittens first?"

"Of course," Caitlin answered cheerfully.

She stopped walking so suddenly that Michael almost ran into her.

"Here is the Kitten Room," the girl announced with a flourish. She pointed to the door she'd stopped in front of. She then shepherded the couple into the room and shut the door.

Caitlin continued to speak, "So, see anyone who grabs your attention?"

Christine and Michael looked about the room wide eyed.

"There's so many of them," Christine looked around the room. And indeed there where. Cages lined the walls either side of the door, all of them holding little mewing kittens.

Christine was immediately attracted to one of the nearby cages that held a small, slender female cat with long cream fur with dark brown legs, tail, face, and ears. The tag on its cage read 'Scarlet'.

"Aw, you're so cute," Christine cooed. She poked a finger through the cage bars. The cat rubbed against Christine's fingers happily, and then opened its mouth as if to meow. Christine was expecting a little mew from such a dainty-looking kitten. So the rather loud yowl it let loose gave her a big of a shock.

Across the room, Michael was checking out a cat of his own. He had found a big fluffy orange kitten, who was, at the moment, fast asleep.

"So, does this little guy do much besides sleep?" he turned to ask Caitlin. He gave the kitten a poke through the bars of the cage.

Caitlin walked over to look at the kitten over Michael's shoulder, "What, Frank? No, that's about all he does. All day. Every day. He's a bit boring really."

"Sounds like my kind of cat," Michael teased. But the smile disappeared when the little kitten suddenly sat up, gave a ridiculously loud sneeze, shook it's head and flung snot everywhere, then went back to sleep.

"Okaaay," Michael drawled. He moved away from the ginger kitten, "Maybe not my type of cat."

"What about this one?" Christine asked. She stood in front of a cage halfway down the room, "He's kind of cool-looking."

The cat Christine was talking about was a big white kitten, which happened to be sitting in his litter box. His nametag read 'Anders'.

"He looks a little mean," Michael noticed when he saw the cat. As if hearing Michael's words, the cat turned to glare at him. Michael made a face at the cat, who hissed in return.

"Aw, I think he likes you," Christine giggled. Michael ran a hand through his messy hair and sighed as Christine pulled him away from the big white kitten and over to the cage opposite him. "Look at this one, Mikey," Christine tugged on Michael's arm and pointed to the cage. Inside was a big fat tabby kitten who was sprawled out on its back. It had a big, golden-colored belly that was lined with rows of black dots. Her dark paws were curled up over its chest. This cat's name was 'Stormy'.

"I…think it's snoring," Michael pointed out. He raised an eyebrow at the cat. And indeed the cat was, her belly moving in and out with each wheezy sound she made. Michael turned to see Christine's response to this cat, but found his girlfriend had been distracted by another kitten in a nearby cage.

Michael walked over to see what cat could have grabbed Christine's attention so fully.

And came face to face with the ugliest kitten he had ever seen.

It was an awkwardly small, short-haired ginger cat with a very flat face. His feet and the tips of his unproportionally-large ears were a creamy white color. He had watery eyes, a crooked tail, and his fur was cut like a poodle.

His name was 'Richard'.

"Isn't he _adorable_?" Christine cooed at the kitten.

"No," Michael answered bluntly.

Christine just waved him off. She instead opened the cage door and lifted the kitten out of his cage. She cuddled the kitten against her chest. Richard responded with a rumbly purr and rested his head on Christine's shoulder. He wagged his crooked tail back and forth.

"Chris, you are not getting that cat," Michael wrinkled his nose at the ugly, flat-faced kitten.

"Yes, I am," Christine turned to look at Michael.

"He's ugly," Michael responded.

"He's _unique_!" Christine giggled, "And it's my birthday gift, remember?"

"But it's going to live in my house," Michael countered back.

"_Our_ house," Christine responded with a roll of her eyes, "And it's my birthday. So suck it."

"…Well, that thing is not riding in my car."

"Mikey, you said I could choose the kitten," Christine frowned, "I choose him."

"No, you don't."

* * *

"Yes, I do," Christine grinned triumphantly. Richard seemed to grin too as he sat comfortably in Christine's lap as the pair rode back home in the passenger seat of Michael's car.

"I hate you," Michael grumbled. His eyes never left the road in front of him.

"Love you too," Christine teased as she cuddled her new cat.

The kitten mewed softly against Christine's chest.

Michael sighed, "I still think it's the ugliest thing I've ever seen."

Christine giggled, "I know. He'll grow on you, babe."

Michael shrugged, "He's part of our little family now, so I guess that means I have to like him now, don't I?"

The two rode in silence like that for a good ten minutes before Michael spoke again.

"Hey, Chris?"

"Yeah?" Christine answered curiously.

Michael turned his head to flash her a quick grin.

"Happy Birthday, Stapes."


End file.
